GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN
A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators
Postings are distributed to the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and 16th of each month and are also available on our public blog: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/
February 2, 2026
IN THIS BULLETIN:
Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. NSPIRE Lecture Series
2. GPD/GC Meeting
3. Spring 2026 Graduate School + Cranwell International Center Webinar
Deadlines & Dates to Remember
4. 2026-27 Graduate School Fellowships
Policy Updates
None at this time.
Administrative Announcements
5. International Travel for Students
6. Request to Share Policies on Actions Precipitated by Unsatisfactory Student Progress
Announcements for Distribution to Students
None at this time.
Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. NSPIRE Lecture Series
Wednesday, February 11
Hosted by the Division of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance, the Notable Scholars Promoting Innovative Research and Ethics (NSPIRE) virtual lectures feature VT researchers discussing ethics and integrity in scholarship, topics that are key elements of the Graduate School’s Scholarly Ethics and Integrity requirement for all graduate students. Please share this learning opportunity with faculty and graduate students:
- 10:00-11:00 a.m. Molly Klote, M.D. – Compliance Supporting Research Integrity
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Tiffany Drape, Ph.D. – Using Case Studies for Better Collaboration
- 1:00-2:00 p.m. Iris Jenkins, Ph.D. – Fostering Integrity in Research
2. GPD/GC Meeting
Wednesday, February 11, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
This is a reminder of the upcoming monthly Graduate Program Director and Graduate Coordinator meeting. If you are not currently included in the calendar invitation, please contact jhazelwood4@vt.edu.
3. Spring 2026 Graduate School + Cranwell International Center Webinar
Monday, February 16, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
This spring’s topic will be International Student Employment – Best Practices & Communication. We will cover topics such as timelines, policies, expectations, and student impact. Register to attend
Deadlines & Dates to Remember
4. 2026-27 Graduate School Fellowships
Deadline: April 1, 2026
Nominations for Graduate School fellowships are now being accepted for the 2026-27 academic year. For eligibility, nomination information, and deadlines, please visit each opportunity listed on the Funding Sponsored by the Graduate School page.
Administrative Announcements
5. International Travel for Students
To ensure that students across all departments receive consistent guidance regarding international travel, please remind your faculty and staff to direct all student inquiries to the official FAQ. This will help avoid conflicting information and maintain a unified message.
Any additional questions or situations not addressed in the FAQ should be referred directly to the Tax Compliance Office, tax@vt.edu.
6. Request to Share Policies on Actions Precipitated by Unsatisfactory Student Progress
There was a very good discussion at a recent GPD/GPC meeting on the topic of graduate student progress reviews, with important emphasis on the need for more formal and timely response to situations of unsatisfactory performance. The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) hopes to formalize a more structured process for managing and documenting unsatisfactory progress situations. Bill Knocke, GPD in CEE, requests the opportunity to review any written policies and procedures that departments have formally adopted to address unsatisfactory graduate student performance. Forward such information to knocke@vt.edu; if you copy gsdean@vt.edu as well, the materials will be added to the Graduate School’s repository of best practices to be shared with all GPDs.